My Swap N Hop partner is… not a Pinks & Blues Girl!

And that’s just fine because I am definitely not a pinks girl and unless its Lapis Lazuli/Sodalite (or John Lee Hooker!) then I am not that much of a blues girl either. Boom Boom! 😉

So… introducing Rozantia Petkova, my partner from Sofia, Bulgaria for the Bead Peeps Swap n Hop Challenge.

I did go to school with two Bulgarians Cristina and George, in Delhi, back in 1986-87. I believe their parents were posted in the Embassy. Cristina and I got on well, George… he wasn’t really a mate to be honest. But I don’t know a lot about Bulgaria and it would be nice to learn more from Rozantia. I do have a lovely bottle somewhere, sitting inside a little hand painted wooden container. It had Rose oil in it. Made in Bulgaria, and a present from Cristina when we left school.

I have just picked this out from Rozantia’s blog post about the Swap n Hop and I think this is a good place for us to get to know each other better. And the images you see shared are all of Rozantia’s beautiful creations.

– Why or how did you get started making jewelry? – Frankly, I have no idea. It just happened. I never thought I’d be making jewelry or anything for that matter.

You know what Rozantia, it just happened for me too! I really didn’t think I could make anything but 6 years on I know I Can! And so can you, Your jewellery is lovely!

– What style(s) of jewelry do you like to make? – Asymmetrical, mixed media and chunky but also symmetrical, pearls and crystals 🙂

Great! We already have things in common 🙂 Especially Asymmetrical and chunky.

– What materials do you prefer to use (and which ones do you avoid)? – I use natural stones, ceramic beads, pearls & crystals, chain and findings. I’ve experimented with fiber, felt and leather cords.

I love working with natural stones and pearls. Crystals and ceramic beads I don’t use much. I have experimented with ribbons and threads but I don’t get on very well with yarn. I have learnt how to make wet felt beads but I let my friend Eve Marshall do the felting for our collaboration designs. She is much better at it than I am! So again Rozantia we have some things in common, but we also work with slightly different materials.

– What techniques do you prefer (and are there any you don’t like)? – I don’t have the expertise or tools to process metal or for wire working, I’m not a bead weaver though last year I tried to bezel a huge pendant, I’m not very good with knotting. I do mainly stringing, plain wire crochet, simple wire work.

Simple wire work and stringing. That’s where I started. And after several years I am finally getting the confidence to try more complicated wire weaving techniques and actually using proper jewellers’ tools to create my pieces. I now have a torch, fancy hammers and other tools. That first pliers set was special and I still have it of course but the tools are growing and I hope your creative journey will go the same way Rozantia. The more of us there are, better it is! 🙂

And you can crochet… RESPECT! Maybe one day I will find a better use for the crochet hook than an unhealthy desire to stab myself with it because it frustrates me so much!

What colors do you use most, and which do you run screaming from? – I think I can handle most colors but I’m not a pinks & blues girl.

That’s it! We are going to be friends forever! I am not a pinks & blues girl either. I like strong bright colours.

So… All I can say is thank you Beed Peeps for choosing Rozantia to be my partner. I think we are going to have fun 🙂